Your kids will love watching caterpillars transform and thrive.
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Whether you already have a serious science lover in the family, or are trying to spark a new interest in STEM, growing butterflies at home is a fun way to teach kids about life cycles. Sure, you could just read them The Very Hungry Caterpillar (who doesn't love this classic children's book written by by Eric Carle?), but this hands-on method will captivate them for weeks, as they learn about metamorphosis and watch their caterpillars grow gorgeous wings.
These at-home butterfly kits will turn even self-proclaimed science haters into budding biologists by making traditional, boring at-home learning exciting and educational. From DIY sets that already include live caterpillars to plant-inclusive options and refill accessories to purchase once your first project is complete, you can count on these kits to provide your kids with a wonderful experience that they won't be able to stop talking about.
Worried about messing the process up? You don't have to be an expert to pull of these experiments. All of these kits come with detailed instructions to ensure easy setup and successful growth, so the hardest part will be letting your butterflies spread their wings and go.
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Best Overall
Insect Lore Insect Lore Butterfly Garden Kit
1
Best Overall
Insect Lore Insect Lore Butterfly Garden Kit
Did you know that many butterfly kits shockingly don't come with caterpillars? Some may offer a voucher for redeeming them separately from their company site, but additional shipping fees and wait times are an unnecessary hassle.
This all-inclusive kit not only comes with five live baby caterpillars and food that'll tide them over until they reach your door, but also a pop-up mesh habitat, cocoon station logs, a butterfly feeder, and an interactive journal with prompted educational activities that'll help make at-home learning way more fun.
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Top Rated
Insect Lore Insect Lore Butterfly Growing Kit
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Top Rated
Insect Lore Insect Lore Butterfly Growing Kit
An Amazon favorite with more than 5,000 reviews, this butterfly growing kit is the ultimate option for curious minds. Caterpillars ship separately with an included voucher through the Insect Lore site, but the set comes with everything else you and your children need to get growing, such as a pop-up mesh habitat, feeding dropper, and detailed instructions.
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Best for Easy Viewing
Nature Bound Toys Nature Bound Toys Butterfly Garden Habitat & Terrarium
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Best for Easy Viewing
Nature Bound Toys Nature Bound Toys Butterfly Garden Habitat & Terrarium
While most butterfly terrariums are completely made of mesh that can be hard to see through, this zip-to-open option features a single vinyl panel that makes it easy for curious kids to peep at their caterpillar's growth and progress.
Butterfly larve is sold separately, but the kit includes a mail order coupon for 50% off your order.
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Best Plant-Included Pick
WhimsicalWingsFarms WhimsicalWingsFarms Grow Your Own Monarch Butterfly Kit
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Best Plant-Included Pick
WhimsicalWingsFarms WhimsicalWingsFarms Grow Your Own Monarch Butterfly Kit
Purchasing this Monarch butterfly kit from Etsy seller WhimsicalWingsFarms is a great way to encourage your kids to give back to nature and support small businesses. Unlike other kits on the market, it not only comes with two live Monarch butterfly eggs or caterpillars, but also a perennial milkweed plant that'll feed future generations of butterflies for several years to come.
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Best Customizable Kit
FloatingFlowersgifts FloatingFlowersgifts Monarch Butterfly Caterpillars Kit
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Best Customizable Kit
FloatingFlowersgifts FloatingFlowersgifts Monarch Butterfly Caterpillars Kit
With most butterfly kits, you get what you get. But with this Etsy option, you can add on your choice of Monarch or Painted Lady larvae in your preferred quantity, plus host plants and butterfly chrysalises.
Without add-ons, the kit comes with caterpillars, butterfly weed, a habitat, and a milkweed plant that can be re-planted to feed and attract wild butterflies to your garden.
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Best Design
e z grader GeoSafari Jr. Butterfly Bungalow
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Best Design
e z grader GeoSafari Jr. Butterfly Bungalow
Butterflies will have a happy and healthy start to their life with this cozy mesh bungalow-style home that helps teach kids about biology and life cycles. It comes with a mail-in certificate for live caterpillars that you can redeem for free online, as well as a magnifying glass, and an educational activity book for additional learning.
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Best Terrarium
RESTCLOUD RESTCLOUD Butterfly Habitat Terrarium
This pop-up 23.6-inch terrarium is the perfect environment for future butterflies to grow and develop their gorgeous patterned wings. It's mostly made of breathable mesh for an airy enclosure, but features a single clear vinyl window panel on one side for obstruction-free viewing.
It also easily opens up thanks to a zipped enclosure, so if you choose to add a Milkweed plant (this terrarium islarge enough to accommodate up to two), you'll have no problem with watering.
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Best Refill Kit
Insect Lore Insect Lore Cup of Caterpillars Live Habitat Kit Refill
8
Best Refill Kit
Insect Lore Insect Lore Cup of Caterpillars Live Habitat Kit Refill
If you already own a terrarium where your future butterflies can grow and spread their wings, this refill kit is all you need to raise a new flock before they can fly.
It comes with a cup filled with five live caterpillars and enough food for them to enjoy until they're big enough to build their cocoons, plus a deluxe chrysalis station log where they can comfortably hang until their wings grow in.
Zarah A. Kavarana
Zarah Kavarana is the contributing editor at BestProducts.com, where she spends her days hunting for shareworthy home, tech, fashion, beauty, and lifestyle finds, and resisting the urge to add them all to her cart. A Boston University journalism grad with a penchant for red wine, her hidden talents include poaching an egg and applying winged eyeliner on the subway.
